Jhonen Vasquez

Chancre Scolex, Mr. Scolex

(b. 1 September 1974, USA)

Jhonen Vasquez is a comic book writer, artist and music video director. He has created such comic books as 'Johnny the Homicidal Maniac', 'Squee' and 'I Feel Sick - a Book about a Girl' with Slave Labor Graphics. His pitch-black humor, combined with the over-excessive use of violence, neatly drawn in high contrast black and white, make his comics a true horror to behold.

Born in San Jose, California, Vasquez first published his Johnny character in his high school paper. He became a film student at De Anza College in Cupertino in 1992, but dropped out shortly afterwards to become a cartoonist. His published his 'Johnny the Homicidal Maniac' strips in Carpe Noctem magazine, before Slave Labor Graphics started printing comic books with the character in 1995. He gave several of the characters he introduced in this series their own comic, including 'Squee' and Devi, who was the main character in 'I Feel Sick'.

He has also contributed to mainstream publishers like Marvel and DC, contributing to Marvel's 'Strange Tales' and DC's 'Beyond the Fringe'. Vasquez is also the creator of the Nickelodeon cartoon series 'Invader Zim'.